1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of automated packaging and specifically to the delivery of inserts to be automatically included with a product being packaged.
2. Description of Related Art
Automated bread packaging devices are widely used to wrap loaf bread in plastic. However, when packaging bread, it can be desirable to include coupons, promotional material, or other printed material directed at the purchaser of the bread. Prior-art systems for inserting this material into the package have generally been deficient. Coupons and the like can be added manually, after the bread has been placed in the wrapper and prior to closure, but this is labor intensive and time consuming. Similar problems characterize systems that place the coupons into the bag before wrapping the bread. Prior-art automated means for inserting a coupon into the bread package have required relatively complicated and expensive machinery and suffer from reliability problems. Further, these prior-art systems often require significant modification or even replacement of otherwise useful automated packaging machines.
Accordingly, what has been needed is an automated system for including inserts in packaged bread and other similar commodities. There is also a need for such an automated system that easily integrates with existing automated packaging machines. This invention satisfies these and other needs.